Ruling on doing dangerous sports

Question

What is the ruling on doing dangerous sports, such as walking across tightropes in high places, jumping down from high places and staying in a cage with snakes?

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

Just as Islam has commanded the Muslim to
take care of his physical wellbeing, so too it forbids him to do any
kind of harm to his body. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There should be no
harming or reciprocating harm.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, Kitaab
al-Ahkaam, 2332; Ahmad, 2719; Maalik, 1234).

The scholars have discussed the matter
of doing dangerous sports.

The author of al-Durr
al-Mukhtaar said: “According to the Hanafi fiqh, ‘… all kinds
of dangerous sports are permitted to the one who is skilled and is most
likely to be safe from harm, such as archery/shooting, or hunting snakes.
Watching these sports is permitted in such cases.’” (See al-Durr
al-Mukhtaar, 6/404)

The first condition:

Complete skill and proficiency
in these kinds of sports. That cannot be achieved without a lot of repeated
practice and training, until that level of proficiency is achieved.
If this training results in neglecting obligatory duties or ignoring
Sunnah or recommended actions, then the view that it is haraam is applicable
in this case. But if no such neglect results from this practice and
training, then the view that it is permitted is applicable, and it is
also permitted to watch.

The second condition:

That it is most likely that
the person will be safe. If there is the slightest possibility that
he will not be safe, or there is doubt that he will be safe, then the
sport is haraam, because it may lead to his death. We are forbidden
to reach towards such things, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):

“…and
do not throw yourselves into destruction…”

[al-Baqarah 2:195]

The third condition.

The sport should not be done for money. It is haraam
to take payment for such sports, because this is regarded as consuming
people’s wealth unlawfully, as there is no benefit in it.

I say: these things should be limited
to special occasions and celebrations, provided that they comply with
the conditions mentioned above. The soundness of this opinion is based
on the reports about the Ethiopians playing in the mosque, so these
matters should be restricted to the days of Eid. By analogy they may
also be done on other special occasions and celebrations. Similarly,
such sports are regarded as permissible on the condition that there
is no mixing of men and women, and that the ‘awrahs of the players are
not visible, and that no games of magic are involved.